pagebypage-journeys

[pagebypage-journeys]

“I was different, but it wasn’t. And as the light flickered over it in bands, I had the queasy sense of my own life, in comparison, as a patternless and transient burst of energy, a fizz of biological static just as random as the street lamps flashing past.” 

“It’s not about outward appearances but inward significance.”

Let me start this off by saying that I’m a pretty forgiving person. Even when I heavily dislike something, I’ll try my best to look for the good in it. 

With that said, this book left me feeling conflicted. I picked it up from the library because I heard it had won the Pulitzer Prize in 2014 and had been on the New York Times’ list of Top 10 Best Books of 2013. So I gave it a shot, despite its hefty weight, and trudged through 771 pages in hopes that I would somehow uncover why this book was so highly acclaimed. 

And after finishing, I still don’t know why.

Don’t get me wrong, the book is beautifully written - there were pages upon pages of words that were so lovely to read. And at the same time... there were pages, upon pages, upon more pages, of excruciating details that seemed to serve no purpose in the book other than add to its lengthiness. While I imagine that it is the vivid and very real struggles of the characters as well as the way it the dives into thought-provoking questions about the value of art, love, and life in general that makes it a book loved by so many, all those meaningless details distracted me from being able to grasp the bigger picture and themes of the book. No, I do not care to know how the main character feels while he and his buddy are drunk beyond their very senses or high as a kite, nor do I care to learn about the intricate ins and outs of furniture restoration. Some of the words Tartt strings together are so eloquent, and other times they are simply unnecessary. 

I will say that the first 100-200 pages of this book, where the main character goes through a big tragedy and has to learn how to cope afterwards are quite compelling to read, but the plot from that point onward seems to drag out with no real sense of direction or push towards a resolution. Many times while reading the book, I felt about as aimless as the main character was in the novel - trudging from page to page just hoping for something gripping and captivating to come along. It didn’t help that the tone of this novel, in my opinion, is pretty dark - although given the amount of hardship the main character has gone through, it’s understandable. 

All in all, it’s one of those you love it or you hate it books, and I’m sad to say that I veer towards the “strong dislike” side of the spectrum. I really wanted to like this book, but maybe my taste in literature is simply not quite as “sophisticated” as the critics. One reviewer said it best: “ it all comes down to what you are willing to tolerate in a novel”. And for me, the meaningless details and underdeveloped plot mask the true gems of this book, making this masterpiece very hard for me to personally appreciate. 

Rating:  ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

Started: 01.02.17  //  Finished: 01.10.17

P.S. This has probably got to be my most favorite review of the book - definitely gave me some chuckles as I was seething with negativity over the novel. 

[pagebypage-journeys]

“I’ll remember it, though there’s really no need now. Tomorrow we’ll all be gone.”

Let’s just start off by saying that this book is a page-turner. I’ve always loved unreliable narrators, and the protagonist of this novel certainly falls into that category, which leaves you on edge wondering what is actually going on. Leary does an amazing job of letting this story unfold, bit by bit, while unraveling the deep complexity of the characters. Although the plot follows a predictable pattern, what sets this novel apart is how shockingly human each of these characters are, which leaves you swinging from adoring them one moment and then finding yourself frustrated at them the next. It’s a story that will definitely keep you looking beyond the surface of how these characters are portrayed, much like the children in this novel learn to do as well. Overall, a great read that delves into the complexity of human relationships, family dynamics, and how there’s always more than meets the eye.  

Rating:  ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Started: 12.29.16  //  Finished: 12.30.16

[pagebypage-journeys]

“Father was standing in the corridor. He held up his right hand and spread his fingers out in a fan. I held up my left hand and spread my fingers out in a fan and we made our fingers and thumbs touch each other. We do this because sometimes Father wants to give me a hug, but I do not like hugging people so we do this instead, and it means that he loves me.”

As someone who has worked with children with autism, I found this book to be a fairly accurate depiction of what goes on in an autistic child’s brain. In spite of that, there were many moments throughout this book that I felt frustrated at the protagonist and wondered why he simply could not view the world the way everyone else around him did. If he could just understand where people were coming from, I reasoned, then there would be much less heartache and pain for everyone in his family. I kept having to put myself time and time again into his shoes - to see things through the lens of someone who tries to hold onto a semblance of order and logic while still seeing the world in all its random craziness.

And then I realized, we aren’t so different after all.

Rating:  ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Started: 12.16.16  //  Finished: 12.18.16

[pagebypage-journeys]

“After that, the book will fade, the way all books fade in your mind. But I hope you will remember this -

A man walking fast down a dark lonely street. Quick steps and hard breathing, all wonder and need. A bell above a door and the tinkle it makes. A clerk and a ladder and warm golden light, and then: the right book exactly, at exactly the right time.”

Rating:  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Started: 12.26.15  //  Finished: 01.03.16